A three-way valve body comprises a throat defining a generally cylindrical throat cavity. At least one flow diverter is carried by the valve body and extends into the throat cavity. The flow diverter advantageously interrupts any circulatory fluid flow within the throat cavity, thereby increasing the efficiency at which fluid flows through the valve body. In one embodiment, the at least one flow diverter can comprise one or more ribs integrally formed with the valve body and disposed parallel to a central axis of the throat cavity.
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1. A three-way valve body defining a fluid flow path, comprising:
a first port, a second port, and a third port, each port in fluid communication with the flow path;
a throat disposed between and in fluid communication with each of the first through third ports, the throat comprising a pair of opposing side wall portions, a rear wall portion, and an opening disposed opposite the rear wall portion, the throat defining a generally cylindrical throat cavity disposed along a central axis; and
at least one flow diverter carried by the valve body and extending into the throat cavity to interrupt the flow of fluid along the flow path and in the throat cavity, the at least one flow diverter comprising at least one rib disposed on at least one of the side wall portions or the rear wall portion of the throat.
9. A three-way fluid flow control device, comprising:
a valve body defining a flow path for accommodating one of a converging or a diverging fluid flow;
a control element comprising a valve stem and a valve plug disposed within the valve body and adapted to be moved between a first seated position and a second seated position for controlling the flow of fluid along the flow path; and
a first valve seat carried within the valve body and adapted to be sealingly engaged by the valve plug of the control element when the control element is in the first seated position, wherein the valve body comprises:
a first port, a second port, and a third port, each port in fluid communication with the flow path;
a throat disposed between and in fluid communication with each of the first through third ports, the throat comprising a pair of opposing side wall portions, a rear wall portion, and an opening disposed opposite the rear wall portion, the throat defining a generally cylindrical throat cavity disposed along a central axis, the throat cavity at least partly accommodating the control element; and
at least one flow diverter carried by the valve body and extending into the throat cavity to interrupt the flow of fluid along the flow path and in the throat cavity, the at least one flow diverter selected from the group consisting of:
a first rib disposed on the rear wall portion of the throat and being disposed substantially parallel to the central axis of the throat cavity, and
a pair of second ribs, each second rib disposed on one of the opposing sidewall portions of the throat and being disposed substantially parallel to the central axis of the throat cavity.
2. The device of
a first flow diverter comprising a first rib disposed on the rear wall portion of the throat and being disposed substantially parallel to the central axis of the throat cavity, and
a second flow diverter comprising a pair of second ribs, each second rib disposed on one of the opposing sidewall portions of the throat and being disposed substantially parallel to the central axis of the throat cavity.
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a valve cage disposed within the throat of the valve body, the valve cage carrying the first valve seat and slidably accommodating the valve plug; and
a bonnet fixed to the valve body, the bonnet comprising a body extending into the flow path, the body having a parabolically-shaped cross-section and defining an external surface adapted to be sealingly engaged by the control element when the control element is in the open position.
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The present invention generally relates to three-way valves, and more particularly, to valve bodies for three-way valves.
It is generally understood that in certain process applications more than two pipelines are sometimes connected for flow-mixing or flow-splitting applications. For example, three pipelines can be connected to provide a generally converging (flow-mixing) or diverging (flow-splitting) service. In such applications, a three-way valve may be used to control the various converging or diverging fluid flows. Generally, three-way valves have three flow connections or ports. In mixing applications, two of the flow connections are inlets and one is an outlet. In splitting applications, one flow connection is an inlet and two are outlets.
The efficiency at which the diverging or converging fluid flows through the valve affects the quality of the final product being output from the valve. Accordingly, for any given fluid process application, such three-way valves are carefully selected to optimize the efficiency at which the final product or products are generated based on the particular fluids or other mediums being processed, the temperature and pressure conditions of the process, and many other factors.
One embodiment of the present invention comprises a three-way valve body defining a fluid flow path therethrough. The valve body comprises a first port, a second port, and a third port, each of which is in fluid communication with the flow path. The valve body further comprises a throat and at least one flow diverter. The throat is disposed between and in fluid communication with each of the first through third ports and comprises a pair of opposing side wall portions, a rear wall portion, and an opening. So configured, in one embodiment, the throat defines a generally cylindrical throat cavity disposed along a central axis.
The at least one flow diverter can be carried by the valve body to extend into the throat cavity. So disposed, the flow diverter interrupts the flow of fluid along the flow path and in the throat cavity.
In at least one embodiment, the at least one flow diverter can comprise at least one rib disposed parallel to the central axis of the throat cavity.
Another embodiment of the present invention provides a three-way fluid flow control device. The device generally comprises a valve body, a control element, and a valve seat. The valve body defines a flow path for accommodating one of a converging or a diverging fluid flow. The control element comprises a valve stem and a valve plug disposed within the valve body and is adapted to be moved between a first seated position and a second seated position for controlling the flow of fluid along the flow path. The valve seat is carried within the valve body and adapted to be sealingly engaged by the valve plug when the control element is in the first seated position. In one embodiment, the valve body defines a first port, a second port, and a third port, each of which is in fluid communication with the flow path. Moreover, the valve body of one embodiment includes a throat and at least one flow diverter carried by the throat.
The throat is generally disposed between and in fluid communication with each of the first through third ports and defines a generally cylindrical throat cavity disposed along a central axis. The throat cavity at least partly accommodates the control element.
The at least one flow diverter can extend into the throat cavity to interrupt the flow of fluid along the flow path and in the throat cavity.
In one embodiment, the at least one flow diverter comprises a first rib and/or a pair of second ribs. The first rib can be carried by the rear wall portion of the throat and be disposed substantially parallel to the central axis of the throat cavity. Each of the pair of second ribs can be carried by one of the opposing sidewall portions of the throat and be disposed substantially parallel to the central axis of the throat cavity.
The trim assembly 14 of the disclosed balanced configuration comprises a control element 26 and a cage 28. The cage 28 is fixedly mounted within the throat 24 of the valve body 12 and generally includes a tubular member 41 defining a plurality of windows 40, an inner cylindrical surface 42, and a lower valve seat 44.
The control element 26 comprises a valve stem 30 and a valve plug 32. The valve plug 32 includes a tubular member 34 and a plurality of webs 36. The tubular member 34 includes a first end 34a, a second end 34b, an inner cylindrical surface 38, and an outer cylindrical surface 40. The plurality of webs 36 extend between and connect the inner cylindrical surface 38 of the tubular member 34 and the valve stem 30. The webs 36 are spaced circumferentially about the valve stem 30 and the inner cylindrical surface 38 of the tubular member 34, thereby defining a plurality of openings that enable fluid to flow between the first and second ends 34a, 34b of the valve plug 32.
As illustrated, the valve plug 32 is slidably disposed within the valve cage 28 such that the inner cylindrical surface 42 of the cage 28 guides the outer cylindrical surface 40 of the tubular member 34 of the valve plug 32. The cage 28 therefore assists in maintaining the alignment of the control element 26 relative to the valve body 12, for example. A first fluid seal is formed between the cage 28 and the valve body 12 with a first annular seal 52, such as an o-ring seal, disposed within an outer annular recess 54 of the cage 28. A second fluid seal is formed between the cage 28 and the valve plug 32 by a second annular seal 51, such as an o-ring seal, disposed within an inner annular recess 53 of the cage 28.
The bonnet 16 also assists in maintaining the alignment of the control element 26. Specifically, as illustrated, the bonnet 16 includes a body 46 that defines a through bore 48. The through-bore 48 slidably accommodates the valve stem 30 of the control element 26. The bonnet 16 may be secured to the valve body 12 by a flange 50 or part of an actuator bonnet that may threadably receive fasteners (not shown) within the valve body 12. The body 46 of the presently disclosed embodiment of the bonnet 16 includes a cross-sectional shape that is substantially parabolic, which serves to direct the flow of fluid along either of the flow paths P1, P2 described above.
It should be appreciated that the specific embodiments of the balanced trim assembly 14 and bonnet 16 described herein are merely examples, and that alternative embodiments can include alternative components. For example, in one alternative embodiment, the bonnet 16 and/or the control element 26 can resemble one or more of the bonnets and/or control elements disclosed in commonly owned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/470,029, filed Sep. 5, 2006 and entitled “Parabolic Bonnet for Three-Way Valve,” the entire contents of which are expressly incorporated herein by reference.
Referring now to
As mentioned, the valve body 12 includes a first port 18, a second port 20, a third port 22, and a throat 24. Additionally, the valve body 12 comprises a first conduit 18a extending between the first port 18 and the throat 24, a second conduit 20a extending between the second port 20 and the throat 24, and a third conduit 22a extending between the third port 22 and the throat 24. Each of the first through third conduits 18a, 20a, 22a comprise passageways for enabling fluid to flow through the valve body 12.
As depicted in
As is also illustrated in
The rear rib 66 and the side ribs 68a, 68b each include an elongated rib that is disposed substantially parallel to the central axis A of the throat cavity 64 and extending into the throat cavity 64 and generally toward the central axis A. The rear rib 66 includes a generally convex cross-section. The side ribs 68a, 68b each include a generally triangular-shaped cross-section. Specifically, in the disclosed embodiment, each of the side ribs 68a, 68b includes a first side surface 70a, a second side surface 70b, and an apex 70c. In the disclosed embodiment, each of the first and second side surfaces 70a, 70b of the side ribs 68a, 68b includes a concave cross-section, which can also be referred to as a profile, and the apex 70c includes a convex cross-section, which can also be referred to as a profile.
During operation, the valve 10 depicted in
In the embodiment of the valve body 12 disclosed in
While the throat 24 of the valve body 12 has thus far been described as including both the rear rib 66 and the side ribs 68a, 68b, an alternative embodiment of the valve body 12 can include only the rear rib 66, or only one or both of the side ribs 68a, 68b. One of ordinary skill in the art can appreciate that such flow diverters may be cast in the valve body or may be included by a secondary operation using an insert and machining and welding or the like.
While the valve body 12 has been disclosed thus far as being outfitted with the balanced valve trim 14 and bonnet 16 depicted in
For example,
It should be appreciated that the ability of the valve body 12 to accommodate both a balanced trim assembly in a bottom port common valve and an unbalanced trim assembly in a side port common valve greatly increases the versatility of the valve body 12 in that consumers may be able to switch an existing valve from one to the other simply by replacing the trim assembly as opposed to having to replace the valve body 12 as well. Replacing the entire valve body 12 can be costly and time-consuming because the valve body is often secured within the fluid process control system and not easily removed and transported.
Still referring to
Still referring to
With the components of the valve 100 configured as described, the control element is movable with the valve body 12 between a first seated position, where the bottom surface 134b of the cap 134 of the valve plug 126 sealingly engages the seating surface 129 of the seat ring 128, and a second seated position, where the upper surface 134a of the cap 134 of the valve plug 126 sealingly engages the seating surface 152 on the cage portion 144 of the bonnet 116.
Therefore, during operation, the valve 100 including the valve body 12 optimizes the efficiency at which fluid converges into or diverges from the valve 100 by utilizing the rear rib 66 and the side ribs 68a, 68b to interrupt the circulation of fluid within the throat cavity 64, as described above with reference to the embodiment depicted in
Moreover, as illustrated in
Thus, the protrusion 154 depicted in
Thus, similar to the ring-shaped protrusion 154 previously described, the plurality of protrusions 254a-254e reduce the volume of the throat cavity 64, thereby reducing the volume of fluid that can tend to circulate within the throat cavity 64, which can increase the efficiency at which fluid flows through the valve 100. Additionally, however, because the plurality of protrusions 254a-254e are circumferentially spaced about the bottom surface 248 of the cage portion 244, the protrusions 254a-254e can also interrupt the circulation of any fluid that does circulate within the throat cavity 64. Thus, the protrusions 254a-254e can complement the function of the rear rib 66 and the side ribs 68a, 68b described above, or can function independently of the rear rib 66 and the side ribs 68a, 68b.
In light of the foregoing, it should be appreciated that the embodiments and description provided herein are merely examples of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Rather, the scope of the present invention is defined by the claims, and all subject matter within the spirit and scope of the claims is intended to be protected thereby.
Schade, Ross A., Wears, William E., Adams, Daniel M., Halm, David G.
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Executed on | Assignor | Assignee | Conveyance | Frame | Reel | Doc |
Feb 20 2008 | Fisher Controls International LLC | (assignment on the face of the patent) | / | |||
Feb 29 2008 | WEARS, WILLIAM E | Fisher Controls International LLC | ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS | 020641 | /0048 | |
Feb 29 2008 | HALM, DAVID G | Fisher Controls International LLC | ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS | 020641 | /0048 | |
Feb 29 2008 | ADAMS, DANIEL M | Fisher Controls International LLC | ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS | 020641 | /0048 | |
Feb 29 2008 | SCHADE, ROSS A | Fisher Controls International LLC | ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS | 020641 | /0048 |
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